There's nothing cuter than toddlers and dogs together, but of course, you will be worried about their safety. Toddlers don't know where the limits are when playing with your dog, and the dog can be pushed to their limit.

This brief history of the evolution of modern day dog training provides readers with insight into how today’s dog training methods were developed. Our goal in reprinting this article by Dr. Mary Burch is to help you, caring pet parents, understand how the different approaches in dog training were developed and to, hopefully, choose positive methods over force-based ones.

Now that the hottest summer months are here, the risk of your dog getting dehydrated and overheating is extremely high. Here’s what you need to know about heat stroke in dogs, what to do if your dog seems overheated, and how to avoid your dog getting too hot in the first place.

Digestive issues in dogs can range from minor upset stomachs to life-threatening illnesses.

Of course, you’ll always want to look after your dog and ensure as best as you can that your canine friend doesn’t experience any kind of health problems. So, you should be aware of the following five most common dog digestive issues.

Preventing a dog from developing separation anxiety is easy if you know what to do. Canine separation anxiety is often the result of adopting a dog or a puppy over a holiday or long weekend when a new dog parent is likely to be around all day, but is then suddenly gone when the work week resumes.

Excluding the cost of feeding, the single largest expense that dog owners encounter every year is typically veterinary care. We love our dogs and want to keep them healthy, of course. Depending on where you live, the cost of doing so, on average, can be about $300. And that’s just for routine exams and vaccinations.

The alpha myth is everywhere. Google “alpha dog” on the Internet and you get more than 85 million hits. Really. While not all the sites are about dominating your dog, there are literally millions of resources out there – websites, books, blogs, television shows, veterinarians, trainers and behavior professionals – instructing you to use force and intimidation to overpower your dog into submission. They say that you, the human, must be the alpha. They’re all wrong. Every single one of them.

If you’re thinking about adopting a puppy for the first time, there’s A LOT to consider beyond how cute and adorable they are: It’s also a really big commitment - anywhere from 12-18 years, to be exact - so it’s not a decision to make lightly or impulsively.

As a dog trainer who advocates for taking your dog on new adventures, one of the things I love most about living in Echo Park, Los Angeles is that it is filled to the brim with dog-friendly places to go.

So, if you have a bored dog at home, I recommend exploring the city with them whenever you can, and here are a few of my favorite, east side, dog-friendly hotspots.

Dogs and puppies bark for a variety of reasons. The first step in reducing the amount of barking a dog or puppy does, therefore, is identifying why they are barking in the first place. This is because different kinds of barking require a different application of training protocols in order to successfully curb the behavior.

Doggie Decompression is a way of using restraint or confinement to induce a dog or puppy to settle down and can act as a step towards solving canine separation anxiety.

Dog Training Tips: Learning how your dog thinks and makes decisions is the “KEY” to getting your dog to do what you want, when you want, without the need for yelling, intimidation or constant supervision.

Dog Training Los Angeles: It’s Your Choice (IYC) is a critical core foundation game because it sets the stage for teaching self-control over all future reinforcers (reinforcers = anything your dog likes or enjoys). It teaches our dogs that all things of value must be earned. The premise of the game is that the “work” is what earns the reward not just the presence of those rewards in the environment.

Dog Trainer Alexandra Bassett demonstrates how to train a dog to walk with a loose leash, meaning that they’ve learned not to pull you in order to get where they want to go,. Leash manners are taught in incremental steps starting by teaching a dog how to respond to leash tension, know as “leash communication,” and where you want them to position themselves while walking on a leash, which can be achieved by playing stationary and moving reinforcement zone games..

Living with a dog with separation anxiety can wreak havoc in your life! Find out the common causes of dog separation anxiety and how to identify and treat it from a dog separation anxiety specialist.

Dog lovers get ready: America’s first art exhibition for dogs, dOGUMENTA, debuts at FIGat7th in DTLA this September!

Puppy training tips from a Los Angeles dog trainer: Puppy training can start as soon as you bring your pup home and can be as simple as taking a few minutes at mealtimes to create positive associations with your pup’s name, a slap to your thigh, and a pointed finger. 

Dog & Puppy Training Tips: Dogs are social creatures that benefit from being included in family activities. However, if a dog is afraid of fireworks, Independence Day can be a terrifying experience for them. To ensure the 4th of July doesn't turn into a traumatic experience for both you and your dog, it's important to have a plan for keeping your dog safe and comfortable when the fireworks go off. Here are some tips from a Los Angeles dog trainer on how to get your dog or puppy ready for Independence Day.

Doodle dogs are fast becoming the most popular dog breed in America because of their friendly nature and hypo-allergenic and low-shedding coats. There are many kinds of Doodle dog breeds of various sizes depending on the Poodle variant with which they are mixed, however the most popular are the Goldendoodle, the Labradoodle, and the Double Doodle.

Puppy training requires structure, consistency, and patience. Get a professional dog trainer’s 5 top puppy training tips and mistakes to avoid when bringing a new puppy home. Being prepared from the start is the key to successful puppy training!